Authorities take three miniature horses after neglect report

Three miniature horses were taken from an Inman pasture after authorities were called to the scene due to a report of animal neglect.

Spartanburg County environmental enforcement officers went to 528 Settle Road Saturday after a passerby discovered a distraught miniature horse by the side of a barn.

The pasture included 31 miniature horses and three donkeys. Several miniature horses had severe problems with their hooves, and three were in need of immediate care, said environmental enforcement director Jamie Nelson. He said many of their hooves were curved upward in an elf shoe shape as a result of the hooves not being trimmed.

One miniature horse was unable to move as a result of the curving hooves and had to be carried away, he said.

“I think it was just that there were so many of them that it just got away from them,” Nelson said of each animal’s care.

Caretakers D.B Wolfe and Lloyd Pittman were each issued three criminal citations for ill treatment of animals.

The three miniature horses needing immediate care were surrendered and taken to a local horse rescue organization to be treated. Nelson would not say to which local horse rescuer the three went, but he did say that one of the three had to be euthanized.

“She asked us not to say to make sure no one interferes with their care,” Nelson said of the local rescuer.

Joe Mann, of Big Oak Rescue Farm in Greenwood, said he was notified as soon as someone found the mistreated animals and arrived on scene Saturday. He said he rescues horses from across the state and feels the other horses in Inman should have also been recovered.

“I left there Saturday feeling so disgusted,” he said. “The owner only agreed to release the three. They all need help. … We’d be willing to pick every one of them up. ”

Pam Stone, who raises funds for Big Oaks, also went to Inman after the report of the mistreatment and said the horses’ hooves looked like they hadn’t been trimmed in more than a year. “They were in serious neglect. … There was one little one, it was so sad. Its hooves had grown out to the sides and he was basically walking on his joint. You can imagine the discomfort and stress it puts on the horses.”

Nelson said environmental enforcement officers will make repeat visits to the Inman pasture to ensure caretakers are taking adequate steps to heal the other animals.

“It’s not going to be a quick fix,” Nelson said. “It’ll be an ongoing review process.”

This story was originally published April 14, 2015 at 12:08 AM with the headline "Authorities take three miniature horses after neglect report."